‘There was a barber and his wife…’

Most of us know the story of Sweeney Todd, but for those of you who do not; Sweeney Todd is a fictional character (although there are many debates) who would murder people in his barber shop on Fleet Street, London.

Sweeney Todd was a crazed barber who would seat his victims in a chair, lure them by cutting their hair. Once they were comfortable he would slit the throats of his clients and dispose of their bodies by pulling a lever linked to the trap door under the barber chair.

The trap door leads to the basement of the shop. Once they had been dispatched, his business partner Mrs Lovett would chop up the body parts and put them in her meat pies then sell them to the public.

The story was published in Penny Dreadfuls in 1930 by Edward Lloyd, and the main plot lines of today’s story appeared in ‘The String of Pearls’. Since then there have been many versions; print and production.

This year London’s Adelphi Theatre was lucky enough to show Jonathan Kent’s version of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Sweeney Todd is played by Michael Ball and Mrs Lovett played by Imelda Staunton, together they are sensational.

Jonathan Kent’s production will shock you from the moment you sit down in your seat. The way the story was directed made it easy for everyone to understand the story, especially if you are unfamiliar with the classic tale.

The actors were full of energy from the beginning of the show, right through to the end. The set managed to convey a realistic Victorian aged London.

The juxtaposition of the moving sets was almost movie like. The way the tale was told was very clever, the audience are given a clear explanation of Sweeney Todd at the beginning and then again at the end of the play.

The play is filled with goriness, shock, entertainment and dark humour and should definitely not be missed! There is still time to buy a ticket as the show continues until 22nd September.